The Australia Post Community Grants Program encourages organisations to apply for funding for projects that will help to build healthier, more vibrant and more inclusive communities across Australia.

Key dates

Monday, 13 May 2013

Applications open

Friday, 28 June 2013

Applications close

July/August 2013

Applications assessed

September 2013

Applicants notified

September 2013

Grant funding issued

Funding opportunities

Funding of one-off cash grant payments between $1,000 and $25,000 is available for community projects or initiatives, based on how strongly they meet the theme of ‘inclusion’ and support disadvantaged audience groups within Australia.

Who can apply?

Australian registered charities or community organisations that meet the program eligibility criteria can apply for an Our Neighbourhood Community Grant.

Central theme

All grant applicants must support our central theme of ‘inclusion’ and fit within at least one of the below areas of focus:

Providing all Australians with access to essential products and services – as well as the knowledge to use these services to connect in both the physical and digital world

Maintaining a diverse, inclusive workplace that values the contribution made by people from varying backgrounds and neighbourhoods across our nation

Investing in programs and activities that foster community spirit, connect communities and contribute to building a more inclusive Australia

Providing support to Australian communities in times of preparedness for future or recovery from previous major crisis

Communities targeted

Local communities

Regional and remote communities

Socially disadvantaged

Indigenous Australians

Culturally and linguistically diverse groups

People living with a disability

Small businesses (up to 20 employees)

Our Neighbourhood Community Grants form part of Australia Post’s ongoing commitment to supporting the communities in which we operate.

For anyone serious about learning all the ins and outs of permaculture, this 10 week course would be ideal!

Run 3 times a year, with participation from Geoff Lawton himself, this fully catered course (vegetarian menu available) covers many aspects of permaculture, with both classroom lessons and ample hands-on practical experience.

An area for camping is available, with some raised tent platforms, composting toilet and a rocket stove heated shower.

Although the price is fairly steep, the experience you will get is invaluable!

Participants come from all over the world to do this course. The video below introduces us to some of the people who have done it and a bit of a look at what you might expect.

In the Adelaide area of Elizabeth Grove, South Australia, are 4 connected backyards in which an abundance of fruits and veggies are grown and shared by the residents of the properties.

Boasting over 300 varieties of fruits and all sorts of vegetables, the gardens are managed on organic and permaculture principles.

The garden is also part of the Open Garden’s Scheme, as well as being available for people to tour at other times. There is a variety of plants available for sale cheaply in their nursery, the proceeds of which go to help with the ongoing costs of the garden.

Currently (May 2013- expected for a few months) the garden has an excess of spinach, which is available free to anyone who lives nearby. You can contact them on their Facebook page below.

They also are grateful for any donations of good condition pots, of varying sizes, to use in their nursery.

In the future, they also hope to run various workshops for the community, so keep a lookout for more info on that.

Todmorden, West Yorkshire, is leading the way in becoming more self sufficient by using pockets of land all over town to grow fruit and veggies, which are then freely available to anyone who wants to harvest and use them. There idea is to be inclusive, with a motto of ‘If you eat, you’re in!” The original plan was to use a unifying ‘language’ that cuts across age, income and culture- and the answer was food!

There’s 70 plots for the picking- broccoli at the train station; rosemary, thyme, mint and fennel near the health centre; apples, raspberries, apricots along the canal towpath; peas and beans outside the college; blackcurrants, redcurrants and strawberries by the doctor’s surgery and cherries in the supermarket car park, to name a few.

Now called the Incredible Edible movement, this principle has spread internationally, with many groups doing the same thing locally.

As some of you may know, Regenerative Leadership Institute has recently been attempting to raise the money to fund this course, through crowd funding, and thankfully they made their total- plus another $16,000 above their goal amount! I think this goes to show how important many people perceive getting this kind of information out there, as widely as possible.